Beef stew is a very basic meal, best cooked in a crock pot or other slow-cooking appliance. But I become quickly bored and uninterested if I have to cook the same meal the same way, over and over again. Late last night I pre-prepared beef stew to begin cooking in my crock-pot this morning, this time using my own on–the-fly recipe:

Beef Stew Flavor-of-the-Month

2 LBS boneless beef chuck pot roast, rinsed in cold water

2 C peeled baby carrots, halved

4 celery stalks, sliced

1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

8 red potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 can (7 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained, or;

1 jar (7.2 oz.) whole button mushrooms, drained

1 C frozen peas, thawed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

1 TBS paprika

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 TBS dried parsley flakes

3 TBS teriyaki sauce

2 TBS minced garlic

2 beef bouillon cubes

Olive oil

¼ C Bisquick baking mix (to coat beef)

Water

Cornstarch & water (to thicken stew if necessary)

 

After cleaning beef, slice in thin “steak” portions; then slice in half, threes or fours (depending on width of the meat). Chop beef into bite-sized pieces, dredge in Bisquick baking mix, and brown in a skillet with olive oil and minced garlic; season with salt and pepper, paprika, nutmeg and parsley. Stir to blend, and then stir meat frequently thereafter until browned. While beef is browning, prepare the vegetables and place in a large bowl. Do not add the mushrooms or peas at this stage. Spoon the meat (along with the scrapings) on the bottom of a large-capacity crock-pot, and then layer vegetables on top. Add one cup of water; cover. When ready to begin cooking, turn crock-pot heat to low and let simmer for up to eight hours, stirring every hour or so. In the last hour of cooking, add the peas, mushrooms and the two beef bouillon cubes. If the liquid appears too thin, combine cornstarch and water, and stir in to beef stew until liquid thickens. Repeat cornstarch mixture if necessary.

Rainee was in constant attendance as I prepared the beef stew ingredients. She curled around my legs like a cat in hopes of discovering a wayward scrap as I stood at the kitchen counter working. The meal was grand – accompanied by a small green salad and warmed baguette bread with pats of butter – and once again my husband was eternally grateful.